


Kiss Me (like you want to be loved)

by Brunetterebel010



Category: Leverage
Genre: Alex deserves nice things, Eliot Spencer Deserves Nice Things, Emotions, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Kissing for a con, M/M, Parker deserves nice things, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Abuse, Threesome, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 11:54:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24849349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brunetterebel010/pseuds/Brunetterebel010
Summary: “Daddy just likes it when I make him feel young Isn’t that right?” She turned toward Eliot, her fingers leaving his chin, tracing up his face to brush softly over the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes. She loved those, they reminded her that Eliot knew how to smile, usually at her and Hardison. Eliot’s eyes glinted at her.“You know I do, babygirl” He growled in her ear.OR: The grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one.
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Parker, Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer, Eliot Spencer/Alec Hardison, Eliot Spencer/Parker
Comments: 44
Kudos: 147





	1. I'm falling for your eyes (but they don't know me yet)

“Shit! Motion detector.” Eliot clocked it too late. Running would look suspicious, so Parker went with her gut. She shoved Eliot into a shadow and threw her arms around his neck, knowing he would catch her legs when she jumped to wrap them around him. She crashed their lips together, still listening for the sound of security guards. Making out was usually the most effective ruse; especially in the slinky cocktail dress she was wearing, coming from the corporate dinner they’d just attended with the mark. She’d expected Eliot to go with it: he was a professional.

What she didn’t expect was the way he kissed her, held her. He left one hand under her to support her weight as if she needed it. The other hand slid up her side, fingers wrapping around the back of her neck under her hair while Eliot ran his thumb softly along her jaw. She wasn’t expecting the flutter in her chest. She wasn’t expecting his mouth to be so soft, letting her lead. She wasn’t expecting Eliot to handle her the way she handled diamonds; like something precious, to be treasured and kept close. It didn’t feel like part of the con anymore when he gasped for air against her mouth before diving back in.

She was, however, expecting the tromp of boots and the swing of a flashlight beam into their shadowy alcove.u  
“Hey!” A female voice barker as Parker quickly puller her mouth away from Eliot’s, acting as if was surprised they had been caught. “What are you doing over here?”

“Sorry, ma’am,” Eliot turned on the charm. “Little lady here couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel room, or y’know the parking lot.” He gestured vaguely around as if he wasn’t sure where exactly the parking lot even was. They were both squinting into the flashlight, Eliot was leaning harder against the wall like he was having trouble standing and supporting Parker’s weight. As if. 

“Is that true, ma’am?” The guard asked, her eyes on Eliot’s hand supporting Parker’s ass. “Is this man bothering you?” They could hear the implications in her voice. 

“Why would you think I’m bothering her?” Eliot asked. He wasn’t growling, but it was a near miss.

“You just look a little old for her is all.” The guard replied. 

“I’m older than I look,” Parker spoke up in a bouncy voice that made her statement less than believable. She put her hand under Eliot’s chin like a crazy auntie at Christmas, shaking his head a little as she added, “Daddy just likes it when I make him feel young Isn’t that right?” She turned toward Eliot, her fingers leaving his chin, tracing up his face to brush softly over the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes. She loved those, they reminded her that Eliot knew how to smile, usually at her and Hardison. Eliot’s eyes glinted at her.

“You know I do, babygirl” He growled in her ear as he gave her the feral, seductive smile that was usually reserved for people whose asses he was about to kick and the dangerous women he liked to chase. He squeezed her ass where the guard could see. Parker wasn’t expecting the fire that his growl lit in her belly. Eliot growled at her all the time, and she wasn’t usually that big on sex. The plan worked, the guard started shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably. 

“Alright then, y’all have a safe trip back to the hotel.” It was clearly an order to scram.

“Yes ma’am.” Eliot smiled as the guard turned away. “Dammit, Parker” he muttered once she was gone, he wouldn’t look her in the eye. She didn’t understand why until she disengaged her legs to let herself down and felt him, half-hard in his thin dress slacks.

“Sorry.” She said sheepishly.

“What for, mama? That was a great grift right there!” Hardison crowed in her ear. Eliot glanced at her, his eyes wide. She smiled and put her finger to her lips, a promise that she wouldn’t tell, and he relaxed.

“I stepped on Eliot’s toes when I jumped down.” She ad-libbed. 

> Eliot hoped Parker hadn’t noticed. He had let himself slip when she kissed him; not just his alias for the con, his all-the-time mask slipped right off in the dark of the alcove. That kiss had said everything he felt about her, though he doubted she’d been able to see what his eyes were saying. 

Now, as they made their way back to the car, he stayed a few steps behind her as he tried to get control of himself. He slipped out of suit jacket and loosened his tie, though the night air wasn’t really that warm. He swallowed hard, pushing the feelings back down into the lockbox of his heart.  
He slid into the driver’s side of their rented sports car as Parker folded herself into the other, pulling at her dress to keep it from riding up her thighs. Eliot swallowed again. 

“Thanks,” Parker said. He knew what she meant, she always thanked him for keeping her safe like it wasn’t his job. He didn’t say anything. As he merged onto the highway, headed back to their temporary base of operations, she slipped her hand into his on the console, laying her head on his shoulder. He tried to keep that arm relaxed and soft for her, but his other hand tightened on the wheel.


	2. I've Been Feeling Everything

When they got back to their hotel, Eliot went straight through to his room in the suite, grabbing a pair of shorts and locking himself in the bathroom. Once the shower was running, Parker sat on the bed at Alec’s feet, still in her cocktail dress, chewing on her bottom lip.

“What’s on your mind, mama?” Alec asked, looking up from his laptop screen. Lots of people thought he was never paying attention to the world around him because he always had his face in a screen, but he was incredibly perceptive. 

“What if…” Parker pulled one leg to her chest, resting her chin on her knee and taking a moment to measure her words, “I have feelings about… something that’s not pretzels?” She watched his face, scanning for every microexpression that would tell her how he felt about this. He pulled his hands from the keyboard and leaned back against the headboard, looking at her carefully before jerking his chin toward the bathroom.

“You mean Mr. Stuffed Mushrooms in there?” Alec asked, smiling softly at her. She nods, forcing herself to meet his gaze despite the fact that the flutters in her chest feel a little more guilty now. “That’s okay, mama,” Hardison reassured her, leaning forward again and putting a hand on her knee. She picked her chin up and rested it on his hand. “He’s damn fine, I can see the appeal.”

“You’re not upset?” Parker asks, she’s glad but also confused. 

“No mama, I’m not upset. You can enjoy the whole menu if you want. I just hope you still enjoy pretzels.”

“Yeah, I do still love pretzels.” She smiles at him, it’s the closest she ever comes to directly telling him that she loves him. The words seem scary, but he knows what she means.

“Cool,” He squeezes her knee and leans back again. She slides off the bed to find her pajamas before sliding under the blankets next to him. 

“So, what are you gonna do about your new-found desire for stuffed mushrooms?” He asks softly.

“I don’t know,” she muses, “I’ll have to think about it.”

“Did something, in particular, make you realize you wanted stuffed mushrooms?” He asks the questions just as Eliot opens the bathroom door.

“Parker? Eat a vegetable?” The hitter asks skeptically, leaning against the door frame that separates their side of the suite from his. His wet hair hangs in waves, one perfect curl falling in his face until he shakes it away.

“Hey man,” Hardison shrugs, “Who are we to deny our mastermind what she wants?”

“Yeah,” Eliot huffs, but his eyes go soft at the edges and Parker can tell he wants to smile. The flutters are back now, and she realizes they aren’t that new, really. She adores Eliot like this, soft and unguarded. The tension and violence absent from his body. She suddenly realizes that she shouldn’t be surprised about the kiss. Eliot is gentle, in his soul. It’s the world that makes him look otherwise.   
“If she wants mushrooms I can make some when we get home tomorrow.”

“Thanks!” Parker calls out, her smile lighting up the room. 

“Of course,” Eliot said as if it should be obvious. It should be; he would do anything for them. He would die for them. Making Parker some mushrooms isn’t anything special, so he’s not sure why she’s looking at him like that. His chest tightens and he pushes off the door frame and turns toward his bed. “G’night” he calls over his shoulder.

“Night,” Hardison answers.

“Mm” Parker’s response is mumbled from under the covers. 

When they make it home the next day, Eliot throws his gear down and takes stock of the kitchen, then disappears. Hardison watches Parker sit on the kitchen island and watch Eliot with a gentle smile on her face.

“Have a plan yet, Mama?” He asks her, drawing her eyes away from the door to where he’s leaning against the back of the couch.

“Mm …no,” She responds, “I don’t want to scare him off. He’s skittish.” Hardison nods in agreement.

“Take your time with him. Rome wasn’t built in a day and wild horses are hard to break.”

“I don’t want to break him.” At first, Alec thinks the metaphor has gone over her head. “Wild horses should never have to lose themselves like that. It’s cruel. I wouldn’t do that to him gain” Now her eyes are far away and Alec turns her words over in his head as he moves to sit on the couch with his computer in this lap. He can see her point. 

Parker is still staring into space when the door opens and Eliot returns. He pauses for a moment after he kicks the door shut behind him, taking in the sight of Parker sitting perfectly still for once. 

“You good?” He asked as he moved to set the bag on the counter. Her eyes slowly refocus and lock in on him. 

“Why did you come back?” 

“I just went to get the stuff for mushrooms. I can leave if you want.” Eliot shuffled. 

“No!” Parker bit out, panicked. “That’s not what I meant.”

“What did you mean?”

“I mean, after the first job. We all came back, and we all had reasons. What was yours?” 

“I dunno,” he hedged. “I guess I just liked the idea of doing something that helped people for a change.”

“Like you used to?”

“If you’re talking about my time in the army, that probably never really helped anybody either.” She nodded solemnly. Not pressing him for details. Eliot wasn’t going to try to work out that machinations of Parker’s thought process, but even if he’d planned on it he wouldn’t have had time. She suddenly snapped out of her trance and hopped off of the counter. 

“Can I help?” She started poking through the bag of ingredients, eyeing the tomatoes suspiciously. “Cheese?” She asked hopefully. Eliot frowned at her, raising an eyebrow. “No cheese?”

“What do you think they’re stuffed with Parker?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged off his irritation, knowing it’s mostly a show anyway. “I just know they’re delicious.” She heard Hardison cough to hide a laugh from the couch.

“It’s the lemon juice,” Eliot asserted as he pulled down a mixing bowl Parker noticed with some glee that he had to stand on his tip-toes to reach the shelf. Eliot was so powerful he often seemed larger than life. This moment was one of those funny little reminders that there was a reason he could play the part of an unassuming professor or businessman. Not that Parker had a problem with short guys. 

“Go hang out with Hardison, I’ll call you when they’re ready.”

“Yes, sir!” She saluted him with a grin and went to plop herself on the couch, throwing her feet across Hardison’s lap as he lifted his computer just in time to avoid a tragedy. His reflexes were improving, Parker noticed. 

“What are you doing?” Alec mouthed at her, waving his hand toward the kitchen. “Go flirt!”

“I don’t know HOW” She mouthed back, her eyes were wide, her arms crossed over her chest defensively. Hardison threw his hands up in the air dramatically. “Don’t rush me! I’ll figure something out!” Parker hissed.


	3. I’m as cold as the wind blows (so hold me in your arms)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sorry about that,” Eliot offered, smiling.
> 
> “No trouble at all,” The mafia Don said, leaning back in his chair as his eyes tracked the manager escorting the two men from the building. “We all have to protect what’s ours.” This time his eyes were on Parker, still tucked up against Eliot’s arm.
> 
> “Yes, we do.” Eliot’s voice was soft as he looked down at Parker. The mask was gone again. He knew Parker could read his eyes, in the dim light of the restaurant. Saw hers searching his face before she smiled gently at him.
> 
> “He always protects me.” She responded, turning her attention back to the man across the table.

Parker, as it turned out, did not figure something out. She spent a little more time in Eliot’s orbit; at his elbow as he cooked, next to him on the couch while he watched the game, leaning on his workbench while he sharpened knives or tinkered with one project or another. Eliot didn’t seem to mind, he did his obligatory grumbling about her lack of understanding of personal space, but he never actually asked her to leave. For her part, she stayed quiet, tried not to actually interfere with whatever task had his hands busy. She watched though, studying those hands, calloused and strong, as they diced vegetables or stirred her favorite cookie dough. She watched them gently carve a little whistle for Amy’s nephew. 

“People are like knives.” He’d said once. If that was true, Eliot was one of the finest, sharpest, most versatile knives that had ever been made.

“Parker, hello? Earth to Parker,” Eliot waved a hand in front of her face and she snapped out of her reverie. “Do I want to know what’s got you so far away this time?” He asked.

“Knives” She answered.

“Oh, no. You aren’t touching my knives.” He wagged a finger at her and she grinned. 

“As if you could stop me if I really wanted them.” The competitive gleam in her eye told Eliot that he’d have to buy a Steranko if he wanted to keep her away from his blades now that the game was on. But, that didn’t mean he believed it was what she had actually been thinking about before he asked.

“Is Parker okay?” He asked Hardison one night later that week, they were watching a game and Parker had gone down to the brewpub for a drink with Amy.

“Yeah man, why do you ask?” Alec says, his attention not wavering from the TV.

“It’s just, she’s been kinda spacey lately. Not like ...normal Parker spacey, y’know?”

“I hadn’t noticed,” Hardison grabs his beer and takes a swig, doing his best to avoid Eliot’s eyes.

“Is everything alright between you and Parker?” Eliot follows up, sure that Alec couldn’t have missed Parker’s change in demeanor unless something was wrong. That might explain why she had been hanging around Eliot: maybe she was avoiding Hardison. But, they still went to bed together every night. Eliot didn’t know what to think.

“Yeah man, everything is good.” Hardison finally turned to offer him a smile. It seemed genuine, so Eliot dropped it, but made a note to himself to keep a closer eye on things before turning his attention fully back to the game just in time to see his team get robbed.

>

“Eliot, I need you,” Parker hissed into her comms as the men closed in on her in the corner of the hallway in front of the bathrooms, out of sight of the dining room. Two large goons, not even the mark’s security guards, were leering at her menacingly. The sick pit of fear in her gut was one she hadn’t felt since she ran away from her last foster family and the dad that crept into her bedroom when the mom, a nurse, worked the night shift. 

“There you are, baby,” Eliot cut around the two men, slipping an arm around Parker and pulling her tight to his side. “Who are your friends here?” The two men stepped back as Eliot sized them up, his eyes hard. Parker tried to suppress the shiver of relief that went through her, but couldn’t stop the flutters in her chest when Eliot called her his “baby.” 

“We hadn’t gotten to names yet,” Parker tried to keep her voice light, but knew that Eliot would hear the quiver, he never missed those things. “The boys here were just offering to get me a drink.”

“Well, there’s no need for that since I brought you one,” Indeed, Eliot handed her a glass of wine that she hadn’t noticed in the hand that wasn’t on her waist. Then he turned his glare back on the goons, “is there?”

“Guess not.” One guy said, turning on his heel.

“Little whore.” The other mumbled under his breath.

“Hey,” Eliot called the man’s attention back to him, pulling his arm from behind Parker and throwing a punch as he turned back around. Parker could hear the crunch of the man’s nose. “Don’t talk to her like that.” The man turned and fled, holding his nose as blood started dripping from it. Eliot kept a protective arm around Parker as he led her away from the corner.

“You okay?” He whispered in her ear. 

“Yeah,” She forced out as a manager made his way over to them.

“What seems to be the problem?” He asked.

“Those morons were threatening my wife,” Eliot said as calmly as he could muster. He could still feel Parker trembling under his arm.

“We’ll see that they’re escorted from the premises immediately.” The man assured him. Eliot and Parker made their way back to the table they were sharing with the mark.

“Sorry about that,” Eliot offered, smiling.

“No trouble at all,” The mafia Don said, leaning back in his chair as his eyes tracked the manager escorting the two men from the building. “We all have to protect what’s ours.” This time his eyes were on Parker, still tucked up against Eliot’s arm.

“Yes, we do.” Eliot’s voice was soft as he looked down at Parker. The mask was gone again. He knew Parker could read his eyes, in the dim light of the restaurant. Saw hers searching his face before she smiled gently at him.

“He always protects me.” She responded, turning her attention back to the man across the table. 

They wrapped up their business as quickly as possible before Eliot escorted her out to the car. He opened her door and helped her in before crouching down.

“Hey, are you okay?” He asked gently, looking up at her earnestly. “You were terrified back there. You’re never scared of anything.” Parker’s eyes welled up and Eliot felt a new crack appear in his heart. His instinct was to surge forward and wrap his arms around her, but he kept his distance, waiting for her to speak.

“I had this foster dad one time,” she said, her voice shaking again, “and they were looking at me the same way he did. They weren’t gonna kill me. If there were trying to kill me I could handle it ...but” A sob ripped from her chest and Eliot couldn’t stop himself. He rose up to perch on the footboard next to her seat, reaching out and wrapping his arms around her waist. She wrapped her own around his neck, pulling him into her chest. He laid his ear against her and felt her heart pounding. 

“I’ll kill him,” Eliot snarled, “I swear I’ll fucking kill him.”

“No,” Parker pushed him away so she could look him in the eye. “No more blood on your hands because of me. I’m not worth it. You try so hard not to kill people anymore.”

“You’re right. I try. Most people we deal with don’t deserve to die. But some people do Parker, and people who hurt kids are at the top of that list.” She nodded, wiping her nose with a napkin from the cup holder. “And Parker?” Eliot continued, “You are worth it. You’re the only thing in this world worth killing for.” Or worth dying for. He thought to himself, but he wouldn’t say that. She nodded again and he stood up, closing her door and walking around to the driver’s side of the car. They rode in silence, back to their hotel, even Hardison wasn’t babbling in their ears.

This time when they got back, it was Parker’s turn to grab clothes and go straight for the shower. They heard the lock click in the bathroom and the water turn on. Eliot looked to where Hardison sat, cross-legged on the bed. His computer was in his lap, but his face was pale and blank as he stared at the wall. Eliot sat down gingerly beside him, resting a hand on his shin.

“Hey man, you good?” He asked, his voice still soft. Now that he was closer, he realized there were tear stains on Hardison’s face.

“I didn’t know,” Alec whispered. “All this time, we’ve been together, we’re a team, a family. I didn’t know.”

“Don’t take it personal, man” Eliot advised. “I think Parker has buried a lot of that stuff, lots of kids do. It’s easier that way.” He would know, he couldn’t bury his stuff, it danced through his head anytime his hands weren’t busy. So he stayed busy.

“I threw up,” Hardison admitted. “When she was telling you about it. It made me sick to my stomach, man. I had to call housekeeping up here to clean the bathroom so she wouldn’t know. I didn’t want her to think it was her fault.” Eliot didn’t respond, only squeezed Hardison’s leg before he went through to his own room to get ready for bed. He was laying on top of the blankets with his eyes closed when he felt the slight dip of his mattress. He still hadn’t adjusted to the way Parker could sneak up on him, especially in a carpeted hotel room. He opened his eyes and met hers. She put a hand on his chest and his breath caught. 

“Thank you,” she breathed out. He moved a hand from his side to cover hers.

“Always,” he promised. Just like he’d promised Sophie. He didn’t expect it, when Parker shifted her weight to the hand that was on his chest and twisted herself around to lay next to him, pulling his free hand until she had it wrapped around her back. He didn’t move, didn’t breathe at first. After a moment he started gently running the hand up and down her side and she sighed. A few minutes later he felt her relax against him. He froze again when Hardison came through to use the restroom, but the hacker just smiled and mouthed “thanks, man.” He nodded in response but didn’t dare to speak or move, careful not to wake the sleeping thief.


	4. My heart's against your chest, your lips pressed in my neck

When Parker woke up, she didn’t say anything, just pushed herself off Eliot’s chest and made her way to the bathroom. Throughout the morning it seemed like she wasn’t planning on talking about it any further. Hardison didn’t bring it up either. Eliot kept a careful eye on Parker, watching for any sign that she wasn’t okay to finish the job. They had a lunch appointment at the mark’s home, an invitation that they had secured at dinner the previous night. At the appointed time, Parker emerged from the bathroom in a sundress and pumps, with a large handbag that had all of her lockpicks and other tools hidden in the liner. She accessorized with dark sunglasses and a big hat, a trick Sophie had taught her to keep people from remembering her face. Hardison whistled appreciatively. 

“You lookin’ cute as hell girl,” he told her, stretching up from his seat at the small desk in the corner of the hotel room to kiss her as she leaned over him. “Be safe” He called after her as she turned and took Eliot’s arm, using her other hand to grab her fake wedding rings off the chest of drawers. She had stolen the stone from the private vault of a renowned jeweler and had a custom setting made. She loved flashing the ring every chance she got.

“We will” Parker called back to him as Eliot opened the door and scanned the hallway before leading her out. When they arrived at the mark’s home, they were led to a large deck at the back of the house. It faced an Olympic sized swimming pool, tennis courts, and beyond that a golf course. 

“Mr. and Mrs. Bingham, how delightful to see you again so soon!” Their host enthused, rising from his seat and setting his big cigar down in the ashtray. “Please, let me introduce you to my wife Katherine.” The woman in question rose to stand by her husband. 

“Darling, these are Eric and Maggie Bingham.”

“So pleased to make your acquaintance,” Katherine drawled, she was every inch a southern belle, but didn’t seem at all out of her element in her current situation. She extended her hand and Eliot took it, leaning to kiss her knuckles and start laying on the charm. 

“The pleasure is all my ma’am,” His words dripped like honey from his lips, his blue eyes sparkling in the sun. Parker bit back the jealous pang in her chest. It was fake, it was for a con. But then, so was that kiss she couldn't stop thinking about. She would have spiraled into a crisis if Eliot hadn’t chosen that moment to take her arm and lead her toward the table where a butler was pouring water and offering a drink selection. Eliot asked for a whiskey, and Parker a glass of wine. They made small talk throughout lunch, then the Don offered Eliot one of the big cigars from a box on the bar cart, which Eliot took the time to inspect thoroughly, admiring the quality out loud.

“These are hard to find Mr. Cranston.” He observed as he put it between his lips and lit it. 

“Would you like to go inside?” Katherine asked Parker quietly, “I hate the smell of those damned cigars.” Parker nodded conspiratorially and rose to follow the woman into the house. Just as Katherine started to enter a sunroom full of tropical plants, Parker touched her arm gently.

“I’m so sorry, do you have a powder room?” She asked

“Oh, of course!” Katherine patted her hand. "It’s just down the hall third door on your left after the stairs.”

“Thank you,” Parker said before making her way down the hall. She opened and closed the door to the little bathroom before making her way down the hall to the Don’s private study. Hardison had hacked the surveillance footage of the entire house weeks ago when they were planning the job, she knew exactly where the safe was. It wasn’t even difficult to find the documents they needed to shore up their plan to prove he’d ordered the assassination of their client’s husband. She heard Eliot come inside, and ask Katherine about her, it was time for them to go. She quickly scanned the documents and closed the safe, but before she could make her way back to the powder room she heard Katherine over Eliot’s comms, whispering in his ear.

“We’ve got a couple of minutes before she comes back,” the woman purred into his ear, “Why don’t you let me show you around?”

“Thank you, ma’am, for that offer” Eliot replied, “but, I don’t think that’ll be necessary. I’ll just go see if she’s finished up.”

“Parker,” He hissed into his comm once he had escaped, “Get out of there, it looks like the Don is headed inside.” She could hear Eliot’s steps coming down the hall and she replaced everything and secured the safe. He was in the room before they heard the Don.

“That’s a private room, what are you doing in there?” He called down the hall. Once again, Parker went for the easiest option, pulling Eliot in and kissing him. This time, she went gently, wrapping one hand under his arm and splaying the other on his neck; matching the gesture he’d made last time. She ran her thumb along his jaw and up across his cheek before sweeping her hand around to the back of his neck and pushing her fingers into his hair, loosening his ponytail. He still tasted like cigar smoke and whiskey, rougher around the edges than their last kiss. She slid her lips to the corner of his jaw and pulled lightly at his hair and he groaned into her mouth just as the Don stepped into the doorway.

“I’m sorry, we shouldn’t have barged in.” Parker started to say as she pulled away from Eliot.

“Ah, young love” The man was smiling when she looked over Eliot’s shoulder at him. “It’s one of the purest joys in life.” Parker returned his smile with her own, but it faltered when she met Eliot’s gaze. He looked raw, his eyes were wide and stormy blue, his pupils dilated. Then his jaw hardened and he cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment

“We’ll uh, we’ll just be going now.”

“Have a wonderful afternoon” The Don gestured for his butler to show them out and they made their way back to the car. Eliot’s face was tight as he pulled them out of the driveway, and he kept both hands tightly on the wheel to keep them from shaking. 

Once they were safely away, he pulled the car off the road and ripped his comm out of his ear, holding out his hand for hers too. Parker complied without question. He dropped both in the cupholder before turning to face her. 

“Goddammit Parker!” He started out, she tried not to flinch, he hadn’t even raised his voice, but he sounded like a wounded animal. “You can’t keep doing this to me.” His voice was softer as he finished the sentence. His blue eyes were searching her face, still raw and open.

“Doing what?” She asked, gently. 

“You can’t keep kissing me every time a con almost goes south. We’ve got to stop getting in these situations, someday it isn’t going to work and you’re gonna get hurt.”

“Is that the only thing you’re upset about?” She was searching his face now too. 

“What do you mean?” 

“You’re just upset about me messing up the con?”

“No, Parker, that’s not what I meant! I’m just worried that…” He trailed off because if he finished that sentence he was going to say "I'm worried that I’ll tell you I love you." He swallowed hard as her hand came up to brush loose hair out of his face.

“I’m sorry. I’ll stop kissing you.” She said, “I’ll be more careful.” He nodded and pulled the car back onto the road. 

>

When they got back to the apartment above the brewpub, Hardison waggled his eyebrows at her when Eliot went downstairs to get a beer.

“How were the stuffed mushrooms?” He asked suggestively.

“I didn’t have any,” Parker stated.

“What? Y’all took your comms out and you WEREN’T makin' out in that sexy car?” Alec said in disbelief.

“No. Eliot was mad at me. He told me to stop kissing him, and to stop screwing up cons.” She didn’t really want to talk about it, so she made her way to the bedroom they shared and flopped face-first onto the bed. She heard Eliot come back a few minutes later.

“Where’s Parker?” He asked.

“She went to lay down, socialite life wears her out.” Hardison said, and she could hear the fake smile in his voice until he continued, “You okay, man?”

“Yeah,” Eliot answered gruffly, “I just might've been a little hard on her. She scared the hell out of me today. That guy had a pistol in his suit jacket. He’s the kind who would shoot first and ask questions later if he saw her hands on his safe. I’m sure you’re getting tired of your girlfriend kissing me as an escape route.”

“Are you getting tired of my girlfriend kissing you?” Alec asked.

“I do what I gotta do to get her back home to you.”

>

Alec let her pout for an hour before he cracked the door and cautiously peeked around it.

“I have snacks” He offered, and she smiled as she turned her head to look at him and lifted her torso off the bed.

“I’ll take those.” She sat up and curled her legs under her to make room for him as he offered her a bag of cookies and creme candies. She took a few bites before she dove in. “I screwed up today,” she admitted, “I might have screwed everything up.”

“You didn’t screw everything up, mama. He’s just worried about you. It’s what he does.”

“Yeah but he said I’m ‘kissing him as an escape route’ and I guess he’s right, but I don’t know how to tell him I want to kiss him for real! Ugh!” She flopped back into the pillows.

“Just go tell him,” Alec suggested with a shrug.

“Okay,” Parker nodded her head with resolve and rolled off the bed before she paused.

“You think I should change first? Or brush my teeth?”

“You’ll lose your nerve if you don’t go now.”

“You’re right” She took a deep breath and marched to the door, squaring her shoulders and she stepped out into the hall and made her way to Eliot’s room.


	5. Lie Down with Me (and Hold Me in Your Arms)

Eliot wasn’t brooding. He didn’t do that. He wasn’t sulking either. He was just laying in his room, in the dark even though it was early evening, glaring at the ceiling and reminding himself of all the reasons he was going to hell. He sat up when there was a soft knock at his door, but he didn’t answer at first. 

“Can I come in?” Parker sounded so small that it twisted his heart with guilt.

“Yes, darlin’” He called out to her, wondering briefly if he should put his shirt back on before deciding that Parker had seen plenty of him, dressed his wounds more than once. He didn’t need to hide from her, at least not his body. She looked so timid as she stepped into his room, shutting the door softly behind her and leaning against it for a moment. She was still wearing the sundress from earlier in the day, but her feet and face were bare. He could see uncertainty in her eyes.

“C’mere sweetheart” He gestured to the space beside him on the bed. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” She started softly after she had settled next to him. She was facing him with one leg curled under her, the other hanging off the bed, touching the floor in case she was overcome with the need to flee.

“You don’t have to apologize for anything I’m sorry I got upset and bitched at you earlier.”

“No, not for that,” she seemed to be struggling to find words.

“Then what for?” Eliot was puzzled “you ain’t done anything you need to apologize for.”

“I’m just sorry that I keep kissing you for cons. I didn’t think about it making you uncomfortable.”

“It doesn’t make me uncomfortable,” Eliot tried to argue but she shushed him with a finger on his lips.

“But, it does make you feel something.” It wasn’t a question and Eliot could feel himself blushing in the shadows of his room.

“Yeah, I feel something,” The confession was as matter of fact as her statement. “But you don’t have to worry about my feelings, ain’t nothing gonna stop me from doing my job and keeping you safe, and if that means you gotta kiss me sometimes, I’ll keep it professional.”

“What if I don’t want you too?” The small voice was back, the Parker who was unsure of herself.

“What?” Eliot wasn’t sure he’d heard her right. Instead of answering him, Parker twisted her body until she was kneeling beside him, using one hand to guide his face to hers, pressing her forehead to his. He could feel her breath on his lips.

“Kissing you isn’t just an escape plan, Eliot Spencer. I want to kiss you. I like kissing you. In fact, I’d like to kiss you right now, if that’s okay?”

“Yeah,” Eliot breathed out, tilting his head to meet her lips before he froze. “What about…”

“He’s fine with it,” She cut him off, “now shut up and kiss me.” She could feel his smile against her lips when they met.

Eliot felt like he might be dreaming. Parker had his face cradled in both of her hands. She held him gently like he was breakable. If he was being honest with himself, he was. Those nimble hands could rip out his heart and he’d let her. But, for now, he put his hands on her waist, holding her close but not holding her down. After a minute she threw a leg over him to straddle his lap, but she held herself up, keeping the kiss sweet and not pushing for more. She hovered above him now, and he had to tilt his head back to keep their lips locked together. Her hands moved off of his face to comb through his hair before landing on his shoulders. He slid his hands up from her waist to wrap them behind her, pulling her down toward him slightly. She pressed in closer and he gasped in surprise when she bit his lip. 

“Parker,” he warned. She just drew back to smile at him before leaning forward and pressing her lips back to his, parting her own and inviting his tongue into her mouth. He groaned against her mouth as she shifted her weight back and gave herself room to run her hands down his chest. They swept under his arms and came around to rest on his shoulder blades, mirroring the way he was holding her. She disengaged and pressed their foreheads together again. 

“Eliot,” she said softly, breathlessly, and the thing that bloomed in his chest was more like a flower than the pain from a wound. He lifted her gently, trying not to make it awkward and he moved them so that she was sitting against the headboard and he was kneeling between her legs. He sat back on his heels, studying her face as she smiled at him. 

“What are you thinking here?” He asked her seriously. He needed to know because she had his heart in her hands. He didn’t know if he could bear it if this was purely physical for her. That would be worse than torture. She regarded him seriously for a minute before pulling her legs under her and sitting forward to meet him in the middle of the bed. 

“I think I’m looking at the toughest guy I know. The guy who puts his life on the line for me every day, not just because it’s his job, but because he cares. I think that I like the way all the tough-guy stuff slips off when you kiss me. I think I like the way you hold me like I’m precious to you, even in the middle of a con, when we’re in danger. I think you’d never hurt me and I think I love you, Eliot Spencer.”  
Her words had him feeling the prickle of tears at the back of his eyes. 

“I think I want to hold you too,” she continued, “I want to make sure you know how precious you are to me. I want you to know that you deserve to be loved, no matter how broken you think you are,” she scooted forward until her knees were touching his. Parker couldn’t believe how easily the words came to her, she usually struggled with this kind of thing. She reached up and took his face in her hands again. “I know you love me too, Eliot,” she continued with more certainty than she felt. She was encouraged by his wordless nod as he swallowed. “I’ve seen it, but I want you to show me again. I want you to make love to me, Eliot Spencer.” She kept saying his name, like a prayer, to make sure he knew she was talking to him. She knew him through and through and she wanted this. “You think you could do that?” 

“Yeah,” his voice was rough, his expression as open as she’d ever seen it. He put an arm around her and drew her in for another kiss, slow and sweet. He maneuvered his other arm behind her butt, shifting her gently until she was laid out. He stretched out on his side, pillowing her head on one arm, placing his other hand at her waist. 

“Are you sure, Parker?” In response, she rolled up on her side to meet him, balancing herself on her elbow as she kissed his forehead and his cheeks, and finally his lips.

“I’m sure as I’ve ever been about anything,” she assured him, smiling softly. He smiled back, causing his eyes to crinkle at the corners, so she kissed his crow’s feet too. He brushed her hair off of her neck and leaned to kiss under her ear and along her jaw.

“Y’know, most girls… well,” He stopped himself.

“Most girls what?” She prompted.

“Most girls don’t ask me to make love to them, they want…” He paused, trying to decide how to put it delicately, but Parker finished his thought.

“They just wanna fuck?” She was solemn again as he nodded. “They want the bad boy, the violence, the adrenaline of doing something they shouldn’t,” she continued, looking down at his side where her fingers were running up and down.

“I guess,” Eliot shrugged.

“Well, they don’t know you, Eliot,” Parker looked up and returned his gaze. “They don’t know you cook the best food in the state. They don’t know you whittle whistles for kids, and hate abusive parents. They don’t know how guilty you feel about the people you’ve hurt, or how hard you work to make up for that. But I know you, Eliot. I might not know every story about every bad thing that’s ever happened to you or because of you. But I see you, and I love you.” 

“I love you too,” Eliot seemed to resolve something within himself with that statement, the last of his hesitation draining away. He reached to run a hand from Parker’s knee, up under her dress to the outside of her thigh. She shivered a little in response, laying a soft kiss on his temple. He skimmed his hand down the back of her leg and when he returned to her knee he hitched her leg up over his hip, pulling her closer. He laid his head on her collarbone, breathing in her scent. She didn’t wear perfumes or lotions, she smelled purely of Parker. She rested her head on top of his, returning to running her hand through his long hair. Eliot wasn’t vain, but his hair was soft and well kept. She ran the foot he’d hooked behind him down his thigh. The hand behind her knee came up to rest on the back of her neck, where the zipper to the sundress was. Eliot met her eyes, asking permission without a word. She nodded and he shifted the arm that was under her to hold the dress still as he pulled the zipper down. When he was done, Parker took her leg back and rolled onto her back, pulling the dress from behind her shoulders so he could slide it off her arms. He smiled when he saw that she wasn’t wearing a bra. This dress, like all of the ones Sophie had bought her, had one built-in. She grinned back at him as she slid her hands free of the sleeves to wrap her arms back around him and pull him in for another kiss. He went willingly, resting his elbows on either side of her shoulders to hold his weight off of her, his hair falling in front of his face, tickling hers until he shook it away. She pulled him down so that their chests were pressed together, skin-to-skin. 

The relief of the contact washed through Parker in a wave, she hadn’t realized how starved she had been for his skin on hers. She pulled her legs up and wrapped them around him, loosely locking her ankles together at his back, trying to get as close to him as she could manage with her skirt and his shorts in the way. He rolled his hips softly, pressing them together as she was pushed back into the bed. She nipped his bottom lip and he pulled hers into his mouth, sucking on it before releasing it to push himself down the bed. He took his time, lavishing kisses on her neck and collarbones. He shifted his weight to one arm and used the other to take her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing each fingertip and her palm before moving up her arm to the inside of her elbow, then back up to her shoulder. He repeated the actions on the other side. Parker was almost certain the fluttering in her chest would never stop. She’d never felt quite so treasured, so precious, so worshipped. Eliot kissed his way from her shoulder to the center of her chest, working his way down between her breasts and kissing lightly across her stomach. Then, he worked his way back up. She was practically shivering with anticipation by the time he took a nipple into his mouth, looking up at her through his eyelashes to watch her reaction. She gazed down at him adoringly, gasping softly. 

Eliot was beautiful. Parker had always known he was an attractive man, but like this he was ethereal. Parker reveled in the feeling of his lips all over her. She buried her hands in his hair, cradling him close without inhibiting his movement. She definitely didn't want him to stop yet, or maybe ever. He moved to the other breast and Parker gasped again as he tilted his head softly to nip at the underside. She could feel his self-satisfied smile against her skin. She tugged on his hair to pull him back up to kiss her and it was his turn to gasp. He followed directions and fit their lips back together. Parker pulled one hand from his hair to push on his shoulder, instructing to roll off of her so she could take her turn exploring his body. Once he settled on his back she sat up, facing him with her knees tucked behind her. She kissed his lips again before trailing kisses along his jaw and under his ear. She nipped at his ear before pulling away. 

She considered him for a moment before repeating his earlier process, taking one of his callouses hands in her. She studied it, brushing her fingers over his knuckles before taking her time to kiss every scar on them. She couldn’t know which ones were from his previous life and which ones were made protecting her, and their team, but that had all made Eliot into who he was and she treated each one with reverence. When she finished with his hands and arms she moved to focus on his chest where there were bullet wounds and stab wounds alike. She knew she would find more on his back, but decided to save those for another day. She threw her leg back over his lap, pushing herself against him and feeling his hard length under her. She brushed a hand along him between her legs before trailing it back up his chest, gently leaning her weight against it as she leaned down to kiss him. His hands found her thighs under the hem of her dress and kneaded them lightly. She rocked her weight back and pushed herself up enough to get the dress out from under her so that she could pull it off over her head. 

She was left in nothing but her practical, decidedly less-than-sexy underwear, but Eliot didn’t seem bothered by that but, this was the part where Parker always began to doubt herself, no matter how much she wanted this. Eliot seemed to sense her sudden hesitation and moved his hands up to her sides. 

“You still want this, right?” He asked gently, ready to withdraw if she said no 

“Yes,” she said emphatically, “I just… never feel like I know what I’m doing.”

“Well I do,” he assured her with a smile. “Lay back and let me take care of you.” Wordlessly she nodded and leaned down to kiss him again. He rolled them over effortlessly. He kept their lips locked together, weight balanced on one arm as the other trailed down her torso between their bodies before dipping between her legs. He ran his fingers along her, outside of her underwear, pressing lightly. The gentle pressure was enough to stoke the fire in her belly that had been smoldering coals up to that point. 

“Mmm,” she groaned against his lips. He pressed a little harder on the next pass and she squirmed. He pulled back to grin down at her before kissing his way back down her body. When he made it to the waistband of her panties he hooked his fingers in them and slid them down her legs, moving so he could pull them all the way off before he resettled himself between her legs. He hooked his arms under her thighs and slid his knees out from under him until he was prone between her legs. He ran his nose gently along her, but he didn’t tease or stand on ceremony as he pulled one arm from under her leg, using his fingers to spread her open. 

“Ohmygod!” She gasped out as he took her in his mouth. She reflexively tensed and curled toward him. His hand held her hips firmly in place as she rose off the bed and spread her thighs further while planting her feet firmly on his flanks. He buried his face deeper between her folds and she collapsed back onto the pillow. 

“Eliot,” she moaned as she buried her hands in his hair, tugging a little as she pushed him deeper. He growled in response, squeezing her hip with the hand that was under her. She slid her feet to wrap around his back, relaxing into the moments as he continued to lick and suck at her. “Eliot,” she whined again when her legs began to shake, “please,” was all she could manage as she once again tugged his hair to bring him back up to face her. He went willingly, gently kissing his way up her body before lightly resting against her. He smiled at her when she pulled him down for a kiss, not minding the taste and smell of herself on his lips. 

“Please what?” He grinned at her as he pulled away and sat back to slide his shorts and underwear off. Parker sat and reached out to stroke him. 

“You know what,” she said as he gasped at the contact. She let go and laid back again waiting impatiently mad he finished with his clothes and moved back between her legs. 

“You’re sure about this?” He asked one more time. 

“Yes, yes I’m sure. Please, Eliot, please” she knew she sounded a little desperate, but at this point, she was feeling that way. She felt like she’s been waiting forever for this moment. She could feel him against her thigh and she wanted him inside, as close as two people could be to each other. He nodded and reached between them, guiding himself to her entrance and slowly pushing inside. He took his time, making sure he didn’t pass the point of comfort for her. Then, he paused, resting his head on her chest and relishing the feeling of her in his arms and all around him. 

“God, Parker,” he said as she gently rolled her hips. He took the hint, beginning a gentle roll of his own until they found a rhythm and moved together like it was what they’d been born to do. Eliot continued pressing soft kisses to every part of her that he could reach and slid his hand back between them to stroke her. She yelped and tightened around him, dragging a ragged gasp from him. She was shaking again before long and whispering sweet nothing in his ear. She told him how handsome he was, how good, and how clever. She told him all the reasons she loved him. 

He returned the gesture, admiring her strength and resilience, her brains, and her beauty. They lost track of time in each other’s arms as the light faded. It was full dark by the time Eliot rolled onto his back and declared himself completely wiped out. When he looked at the clock he was surprised to find that it had only been a couple of hours. What surprised him more though, was that Parker rolled to snuggle up to his side, laying her head on his chest. He smiled as he wrapped his arm around her. 

“You stayin’ here tonight?” He asked her

“For now,” she sighed. He figured that was the most he could hope for. Parker wasn’t the kind to be tied down, and he wouldn’t want her any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that, thus far, this fic has been very Eliot/Parker centric. I'm all in on the OT3 train, I'm trying to decide if I want to continue this fic, or write another, that tells how Eliot and Hardison get together in this little 'verse. Right now, I don't even know the answer to that, so we will see what comes to me. There's still a chapter or two of this one I want to write.


	6. Settle down with me (and I’ll be your safety)

Parker was indeed gone when Eliot woke up. He gave himself a moment to lay there in the pre-dawn light and bask in the memory of the night before. He was pretty sure he’d never had a better night in his life. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to wipe the dopey smile off his face that he knew he was wearing. He gave himself a few more minutes to let it stay on his face while he took a shower and prepared to face the day. 

>

“How were the stuffed mushrooms, mama?” Hardison asked Parker when she emerged from her bedroom and crossed the floor to the kitchen to dig for a box of cereal. “And don’t even pretend you didn’t have any. You didn’t go back to your room until like four a.m.”

“Were you up all night playing video games again?” She asked as she pulled the milk from the fridge. 

“Hey, I’m asking the questions” he rebutted. 

“So yes,” she asserted, smiling at him indulgently as she replaced the milk and picked up her bowl. After she had settled on the end of the couch closest to the chair where he sat, leaning on the arm, she gazed at him thoughtfully. “Different. Good. A little overwhelming,” she said. Alec nodded his head. “I told him that I love him, and he loves me too.”

“So are y’all gonna be an official thing now?” He inquired. Parker shrugged as she chewed. 

“Whatever Eliot wants,” she replied after a moment. 

“Cool,” Hardison said, not pushing for details or decisions. He knew the three of them could navigate through whatever happened, they were a unit and always would be. 

>

When Eliot emerged into the common area he found Parker sitting on the couch, empty cereal bowl perched on her knee as she leaned toward Hardison. They were talking quietly, but the way Alec was looking between Parker and his laptop told Eliot they were probably discussing the client list and what case to take next. 

“G’ morning,” he grunted, letting them know he was there as he made his way to the kitchen. 

“What are you cooking for breakfast?” Alec called and Eliot rolled his eyes. 

“Egg scramble?” 

“Hell yes!” Hardison loved a good egg scramble that could be folded neatly into a tortilla and eat with one hand while he worked with the other. 

Eliot took his time in the kitchen, suddenly aware that it was time to face the boyfriend of the woman he’d spent the night before with. While this situation was very different from previous instances in his life, and Parker had said Alec was okay with it, Eliot found himself a bit nervous. 

“Cheese?” He called to Hardison. 

“The spicy one!” 

When he finished cooking he played Harrison’s tacos and grabbed him a fresh soda from the fridge, knowing his friend didn’t drink coffee. Instead of making Hardison come to get it, he took the plate and set it down at the hacker’s elbow. Alex looked up and gave him a beaming smile. 

“Have a good night?” He asked suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows. Eliot averted his eyes, hand reflexively rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he glanced over at Parker. Her face offered no clues as to how he should handle this, or how much Hardison knew. “Hey, man it’s all good,” Alec interrupted Eliot’s panicked thoughts. “What y’all do is between y’all. I was teasing but I’m not gonna pry” Eliot nodded and headed back to the kitchen to retrieve his own breakfast when he heard Parker come up behind him. 

“It was a good night, right?” She asked him. “I mean, I enjoyed it, and I don’t regret anything, but if you do it’s okay,” 

“Parker,” he stopped with gentle hands in her shoulders, “it was a great night and I don’t regret anything. I’m just not sure how to talk to your boyfriend about it. Or if I want to. Do you want me to?” 

“No. I mean, you can if you want to I guess” Parker shrugged and Eliot stepped back and returned to his plate. 

“Do you want some of this or are you full of cereal?” He asked before scraping the entire plan onto the plate. 

“I’m good, but thanks!” Parker left him to his thoughts and returned to her spot on the couch. When he made his way in she patted the seat next to her and he obliged. She was leaning on the arm with her feet pressed against his thigh. 

“We got a new job?” He asked gruffly between bites. 

“Maybe,” Hardison answers, as he pulls surveillance images up on the screen Parker starts talking through the client’s story. 

>

“So,” Parker began as she worked on opening the wall safe in the mark’s office, “do we need to like ‘talk about it’ or whatever?” 

“Is now really the time?” Eliot asked, turning from staring intently at the door to give her an incredulous look. Hardison was keeping security busy with false alarms on the upper floors of the building. Parker shrugged, never looking at him as she studied the safe. 

“I’m not good at things,” she told him, “But I know you feel awkward because I have a boyfriend and Hardison said it might help you if we set some kind of boundaries or defined our relationship,”

“Maybe, do you even know what you want?” Eliot knew Parker wasn’t always the best at defining her emotions or desires. 

“To be with you. And to be with Hardison. Always. But we can call it whatever you want. And you can tell me what it means for you.” 

“Can I think about it?” She nodded before whooping in victory as the safe swing open and she began surveying its contents. 

>

The con went sideways. Of course, it did... 

“Dammit Hardison,” Eliot growled into the com, his boots pounding the pavement as he chased the men who were hauling Parker across the lot toward a cargo van. “How did you lose them?” 

At some point, the security team had gone outside and they’d caught Parker as she made her way out the office window, the only time Eliot was too far away to help her. 

“Man, I’m not god,” Hardison fired back. “Why did you leave her alone?”

“Because that was the PLAN” Eliot threw himself into the nearest goon knocking him to the ground and disarming him, unloading the gun as he regained his feet. He made ground as the men had to pause to fight the struggling thief into the van. 

Eliot threw the emptied handgun at the back of a head, distracting the man and giving himself a precious extra second. He felt the feral, victorious smile on his face when the man’s eyes widened in fear at the sight of Eliot. He had them, and he knew it. 

Parker was going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this delayed posting, my excuses include packing to move across the state, working on my Master's degree, taking teacher certification exams, and preparing to start a new job...


	7. Chapter 7

The ride home was tense and silent. Eliot was still coming down from the adrenaline that flooded his system when Parker screamed for help. He’d thought she was hurt and he’d nearly thrown himself out a window instead of running down the stairs. But he knew he’d lost his cool, and he owed Hardison an apology. When they got back to the apartment Hardison took the drive of files that Parker had stolen and began to work. Eliot hung his jacket by the door and went to lean on the arm of the couch, facing Hardison. 

“Can I help you?” Harrison asked without looking up from his screen. 

“I just wanted to apologize, man,” Eliot said, his hand at the back of his neck. “I was out of line earlier. I was just… y’know…”

“Scared?” Hardison finished his sentence for him. Eliot just nodded. “Look, I get it man. You care about her, but don’t forget that I care about her too and I always do everything I can to keep her safe.”

“I know man.”

“And to keep your ass safe for that matter,” Hardison continued. “We’re not just a team Eliot, we’re family and we all do our best for each other” 

“Thanks man,” Eliot pushes himself off the couch and heads to the fridge to dig for leftovers. Neither of them hear Parker coming down the stairs until she speaks to them. 

“Did I mess things up?” Her voice is barely loud enough to be heard over the sound of Eliot pulling containers out of the fridge. He stops and moves around the bar, but both he and Alec keep their distance. 

“What do you mean, mama?” Hardison asks. 

“Are you and Eliot just going to be weird around each other and not stay friends because I love both of you?” She asked. “I don’t want to mess things up. I want us to be the same”

“Sweetheart, you didn’t mess things up but nothing’s gonna stay the same. But we promised we’d change together and we will,” Eliot was as earnest as they’d ever seen him. “Earlier you asked about setting boundaries and such. Maybe we all need to sit down and have that talk. I’ll heat something up and we can come to the table?” Parker and Hardison both nodded in agreement. Eliot headed back to the kitchen and Parker went and rested her chin on Alec’s shoulder to look at the files. Their whispered conversation was too quiet for Eliot to make out, but he figured they’d catch him up on anything he needed to know. 

\---

When dinner was ready, Eliot set the table and they all gathered around it more quietly than usual. Parker was chewing her lip thoughtfully as she stirred her food around her plate with a fork.

“So,” Alec started, “I’ve actually been thinking about this a lot lately” Eliot and Parker both trained their eyes on him. Eliot could feel his heart dropping. If Alec decided that he didn’t want Parker to be with Eliot too, he knew it would crush him. “I think that, on my part, I might be a little jealous. Not because you two love each other!” Alec waved that thought away with one hand before they could even think it. “Just because, Eliot is always doing all the saving. Maybe I feel a little… helpless? Inferior?” Hardison’s gaze was trained on the table, Parker moved her hand to cover one of his. 

“Alec, why didn’t you tell us sooner?” She said softly.

“It’s stupid.” Hardison replied, his voice a little shaky.

“Dammit Hardison,” Eliot shook his head, reaching across the table he tilted Hardison’s chin back up until they were making eye contact. “Inferior is the last thing you are, man. We have different skills, we do different jobs for this team. That’s what makes it work. How many times have you teased us about you saving our asses? It’s been true every time man. You do things I could never do. I shouldn’t have blown up at you earlier. Maybe we both slipped up a little, but we were both doing our jobs and we both know we would never intentionally put Parker in danger.” Hardison reached up and pulled Eliot’s hand away from his face. Frankly, Eliot hadn’t realized his hand was still on Hardison’s face. Alec gripped Eliot’s fingers tightly for a moment before letting them go and leaning back in his chair, nodding.

“Hey, do I get to talk now?” Parker asked, her mouth full of pasta.

“Yes mama, you get to talk now.” Hardison and Eliot both grinned as she set her fork down and leaned toward them, using her mastermind pose, but not quite managing to look as serious as usual while she chewed. They waited patiently until she was done before she continued.

“I think you both need to remember something that you knew before I started dating you. You don’t own me, and I don’t just mean you can’t tell me what to do or control me. I’m the mastermind. I make my own choices, and some for you too. I know what I’m getting myself into and I can accept the risks of my job as much as either of you. So, when shit goes sideways, it’s not about whose fault it is, it’s about how we can fix it. We all save each other.” She sat back, satisfied that she’d said her piece.

“Okay, that being said,” Eliot decided it was his turn, “Do we need other boundaries, like relationship wise? Am I overstepping?”

“Of course not.” Parker said matter-of-factly. Eliot looked to Hardison, wondering if he felt the same way. The hacker just shrugged.

“I told lil mama she could have what she wanted, so I give her what she wants from me and let her get whatever she wants from you that you’re willing to give.” Eliot nodded.

“You know that that’s… everything, right?” Eliot looked between them. “Literally everything. I would do anything you wanted or needed me to do, either of you.”

“We aren’t just talking about dating anymore, are we?” Alec observed. “You’re talking like, life and death kinda stuff.” Eliot nodded.

“Eliot, we know that” Parker still had one hand covering Hardison’s, so she set her fork down to use the other to hold one of Eliot’s. “But you don’t have to give us everything. Your life is yours and you don’t have to give it up for us.”

“Too late,” This hitter chuckled, swallowing the lump in his throat, “y’all are the best thing I’ve ever had, and the only good thing I’ve had for a long, long time. This team, this family” He gestured around the table, then between himself and Parker, “us. I don’t need anything else. I don’t want anything else.” He looked across the table at Hardison, who was regarding him carefully. The hacker nodded after a long moment, still looking thoughtful. 

“Okay,” He said, “But if that changes, you let us know. We’ll always back your play. You have us no matter what.” Parker nodded solemnly at Alec’s words.

“I love you. Both of you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I finished my Master's degree and started my new teaching job. It's been a chaotic few weeks! Hopefully I'm learning to manage my time I bit better now!


	8. Chapter 8: From lust to truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So, do you like stuffed mushrooms?" Parker asked.

Parker noticed it before Hardison did. Once they’d finished talking, she’d looked up more than once to see his fingers tracing down his jawline, where Eliot’s fingers had been earlier. Alec’s eyes were still a little distant. 

“So, do you like stuffed mushrooms?” She asked him casually, most of her focus seemingly on the lock in her hands. She felt him freeze with a sharp inhale, and reciprocated; afraid that she’d crossed a line. 

“Do I?” He asked her incredulously.

“I don’t know, you got a little dreamy earlier when he touched your face. You’ve never said anything about being into guys exactly, but you also haven’t said anything about NOT being into guys, so…” Her nonchalant shrug and failure to even look up as she offered him revelations about his own mind made him smile.

“I’ve never thought about it.”

“Oh” She smiled as she held up the lock proudly. It was a new model and it had taken her a little longer than usual.

“Nice, mama!” Her enthusiasm was infectious as she handed it to him so he could try. He was becoming a decent lock pick these days. 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
Parker had gone to bed with Hardison, so Eliot sat up on the couch aimlessly scrolling through channels to see if there was anything worth watching. He wasn’t really tired, and was trying to avoid thinking too much. He was turning Alec’s words over and over in his mind. He gave the hacker shit but he had always admired his genius and unmatched skills in his field. The idea that Alec Hardison, a legend among hackers, felt inferior to a guy that punched stuff was beyond bizarre to him. Maybe he should remind Alec how much he admired him more often. Finally he gave up on scrolling and decided to go in his room and do some meditation.

“So, do you like stuffed mushrooms?” He heard Parker say as he walked past their door. He paused and shook his head, what was it with that girl and the mushrooms lately? He knew Alec always ate them, he would hate to find out his friend was only humouring him.

“You got a little dreamy earlier when he touched your face. You’ve never said anything about being into guys exactly” Parker was saying to Alec when he tuned back in. Wait. Am I stuffed mushrooms? He knew Parker and Hardison had a weird thing about pretzels. Maybe it was like that. He shook his head and moved on, their conversation wasn’t for him to hear, even if it was about him. That didn’t mean he was going to be able to erase what he had heard from his brain.   
Instead, it burrowed in and as he tried to clear his mind, it filled instead with the idea of him, Parker, and Alec as a happy little family. 

It wasn’t like he’d never been with dudes before; both for fun and for business. But, his last relationship with a man had been more than unhealthy and since then he’d mostly stuck to one-night-stands with women. As long as he had known Parker and Hardison, that’s the only way they knew him. Only after the team had been together for a long time had he let his guard down enough to trust them, and love them. Until recently, he’d figured they would be a team and a family until the day he died or Parker and Hardison decided to retire and told him to hit the bricks. He’d never, in his wildest dream, thought they might both love him back. 

The world of possibilities was opening up before him. But, Hardison wasn’t sure how he felt, Eliot reigned his thoughts in. He shouldn’t get ahead of himself. He could wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay, sorry this is hella short teaching during a pandemic and all that \\_(*.*)_/ Hopefully I'll get some more work done during fall break
> 
> I finished my 2nd watch of Leverage and want to start a 3rd, but my wife has told me I have to wait a few months :D 
> 
> Happy Trump is Fired Day!


	9. So I hold you close to help you give it up

After that, Eliot occasionally caught Alec gazing at him thoughtfully, but he didn’t call any attention to it. On a few occasions Hardison’s eyes came back into focus in time to notice Eliot noticing and he would blush and turn away. Eliot just smiled and went back to what he’d been working on. Parker smiled at both of them from her perch in the rafters. 

“Hardison likes you too,” Parker informed him one night as they snuggled in his bed, her head was on his shoulder, one hand playing with his hair.

“I know,” he smiled at the top of her head. 

“Do you like him too?” She inquired looking up at him. 

“Yeah,” Eliot answered earnestly. “I like him. I don’t think it’s possible to fall in love with one of you without the other.” 

“We all belong together. You should tell him. He’s scared he’ll freak you out.” 

“Is stuffed mushrooms code for me?” He asked, deciding it wouldn’t hurt to admit he’d overheard their earlier conversation. 

“Yup.”

“Should I make some for Alec? Would he understand?”

She nodded against his chest, her hand leaving his hair to rest over his heart. He covered it with his own. 

“We’re going to need a bigger bed” Eliot just laughed and leaned to kiss her. As she relaxed and went quiet, he began building a menu in his head to plan a meal around the mushrooms. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days later he was nervously puttering around the kitchen. Trying to decide if he should say something when Parker bounced in. 

“Mmmm” she inhaled deeply, reaching for the spoon on the potato purée. Eliot smiled, and for once let her steal a bite. She perched on the counter, studying him. 

“You got this,” she mouthed. 

“How?” She pointed to the mushrooms, then mimed picking one up and holding it out for him to taste. Metaphorically offering himself up to Hardison. Alec had his head buried in his computer. Eliot pre-plated the god, but left it on the counter, giving Parker a warning look. She batted her eyes innocently and he smiled before retrieving a mushroom and heading for the Hacker. 

He took a deep breath before he leaned across the desk, propping himself on his elbows and leaning forward. He had the mushroom in one hand, the other poised under it to catch any drips of juice or cheese. 

“Hey, I’ve got something for you” he said

“Two seconds” Alec didn’t look up at first, then Parker cleared her throat from across the room and he lifted his head. 

Looking back at him, Eliot’s face was as vulnerable as he’d ever seen it. He looked from the ‘s hitters face to his face. Once he processed the offering he looked back up. Eliot nodded at him and offered the mushroom again. Alec leaned forward biting the mushroom without taking it from Eliot’s hand. 

“Yeah?” Eliot inquired. 

“Yes,” Hardison nodded, a smile taking over his face. Eliot’s entire body relaxed as he returned the smile. 

“Yay!” Parker bounced on her toes, clapping in childish joy. 

“Dinner’s ready if you want to come to the table,” Eliot offered. 

“Oh I absolutely want to come to the table.” Hardison closed his laptop and followed Eliot. Parker has managed to set the table without either of them noticing. Eliot also noticed that she’d managed to even touch her plate before they all sat down together. 

“So,” Hardison cleared his throat.

“Don’t make it weird again Alec.” Parker warned him, “just enjoy it.”

The boys chuckled, and Alec laid a hand across the table that Eliot took. 

When the had finished they cleared the table. 

“No dessert tonight?” Alec asked. “Parker didn’t wear you down?”

“Oh we’re having dessert tonight.” Parker said, jerking her head toward the hallway that led to the bedrooms. 

“Ohhhh…” Hardison said. 

“If you want…” Eliot said, not quite looking him in the eyes. He was doing that embarrassed neck rub that was oddly sexy. 

“Who wouldn’t?”


	10. This feels like falling in love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is strictly porn.

Ch. 10 “This feels like falling in love”

Eliot smiled back at Hardison.

“Well, what are you guys waiting for?” Parker demanded, “I have plans” 

Alec and Eliot exchanged looks behind her back.

“Should I be scared?” Hardison asked as he followed Parker, who was already bouncing down the hall toward her bedroom. 

“No!” Parker was already lying in the middle of the king-sized bed she never actually slept in, with her feet against the wall above the headboard. Hardison smiled as he crossed the room and sat down on the bed to kiss her.

Eliot hung back a bit, watching as he leaned on the door frame. 

“Are you coming?” Parker had her head hanging off the foot of the bed now, watching him upside down. With a smile, Eliot pushed away from the door frame and strolled toward the bed, taking his turn to lean down and kiss Parker before moving to pull Alec’s head down and meet his lips. When they broke apart, it was Alec’s turn to look nervous.

“Not to ruin the moment man, but I uh.. I haven’t been with a guy since high school” Hardison said sheepishly. 

“Don’t worry about that baby, I got you,” Eliot whispered against Alec’s lips, moving to kneel on the bed. “You just tell me what you want, I’ll make it happen.” Alec looked down at Parker.

“What did you have in mind mama?” He asked. Parker wiggled a finger and Alec obeyed, leaning so she could whisper in his ear. Eliot could tell by the look on Alec’s face that he liked what he was hearing.

“Damn girl, for someone who was so shy about sex, you are just nasty” He said appreciatively when he was done. “Let’s go with her plan” Alec said, looking at Eliot with a smirk.

“Which is?”

“We’re going to sixty-nine,” Parker informed him, indicating herself and Hardison with one hand, “but I’m gonna lay on my back so that you” she pointed at Eliot intensely, “can fuck him while he eats me out.” Eliot couldn’t help the gasp that escaped him at that mental image. “Sound good?” 

“Yeah,” the hitter knew his voice was husky with lust already, “that sounds amazing”

“Good.” Parker said, clearly pleased with herself. She scooted herself back onto the bed, planting her feet and lifted her butt so she could slid her pants and underwear off before settling down. She pulled them off of her legs and let them fall off the edge of the bed, planting her feet on the wall, heels resting on the headboard. Eliot watched as Alec leaned down again to kiss Parker, then made his way down her body, trailing kisses and nips in his wake. Her neck, her nipples, her stomach, and then her thighs. Parker was already moaning softly when she reached above her to grab the waistband of Alec’s pants and tug them down so that his half-hard dick spilled out and dangled over her mouth as she eyed it hungrily. Eliot licked his lips, aware of his own growing hardon. 

“A little help here, Eliot?” Parker indicated Alec’s pants. With a smile, Eliot readed forward and helped get them out of the way by liften the hacker with one arm under his stomach to get the pants past his knees.

“Man, you could have just asked,” Alec said, looking down at his girlfriend with a grin.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Eliot asked as he stood to remove his own clothes before kneeling behind Alec on the bed. Alec had returned his attention to Parker, kissing and biting her thighs then dipping his head to deliver a teasing lick between her folds. Every time he did that, she gasped and bucked her hips. When Eliot saw her reaching to stroke Alec’s cock, he leaned forward and bit the hacker’s ass just as she touched him. Alec gasped, throwing his head back. Parker grabbed a pillow and slid it under her head to ease her access to Hardison before sliding her mouth around his tip. 

“Lube?” Eliot asked belatedly. Neither Parker nor Hardison freed their mouths from their respective tasks, but both pointed to one of the nightstands so he rose and opened the drawer, grabbing the bottle and a condom, he returned to the bed once more. Kneeling behind Alec, he uncapped the lube and poured some on his hand. Holding for a moment to warm it before he began rubbing against Alec’s hole. Alec gasped again and his hips bucked, causing Parker to grab his thighs and steady him to keep him from choking her. With a wicked grin they couldn’t see, Eliot leaned forward and ran his tongue between Alec’s cheeks, flicking at his hole lightly.

“Goddamn, Eliot” Alec gasped, not raising his head from between Parker’s thighs.” The hitter didn’t respond, just kept at it, growing harder listening to the hacker’s ragged gasps. Parker was moaning steadily around Hardison’s dick as he licked and sucked at her clit.

“Alec” she gasped, pulling her mouth free, “finger me”

“Yes ma’am” Hardison moaned, shifting his weight to one elbow and he slid his other long arm around her thigh and honored her request.

“Mmmmm,” she gasped out before she returned to her work even more enthusiastically. Eliot pulled his face back, added more lube to his hand and began to work Alec open in earnest. He spread Alec’s cheeks with one hand and slowly pushed the tip of one finger in. Alec hissed as Eliot breached him, causing the hitter to freeze.

“Don’t stop” Alec hissed, “it’s been a while, but I can take it. I want it.” Reassured, Eliot continued; pushing in a bit further before retreating, repeating the motion and going deeper each time. Soon, Hardison was rocking in time with Eliot’s finger, Parker finding their rhythm and bobbing her head with it. 

“More, Eliot more” Hardison demanded and Eliot obliged, starting the task of working a second finger in. Alec moaned loudly, biting Parker’s thigh and drawing a moan from her before he buried his head between her legs and began fervently working. Soon she had planted her feet on the bed and was bucking her hips in time with the bobbing of her head. With the hand that wasn’t buried in Hardison’s ass, Eliot reached around and circled the base of his dick.

“Don’t you come until I’m inside of you,” Eliot practically begged. 

“You better get inside of me right now” Alec demanded, lifting his head to look back at Eliot only for a moment before Parker had her ankle on the back of his neck, pushing him back down. Eliot took the invitation, removing his fingers and rolling the condom on. He let go of Alec’s dick to add more lube to his hand, stroking himself as he applied it, groaning with relief as his previously untouched dick, rock hard and leaking, made contact with Alec’s ass. He pushed in slowly, Parker and Hardison had both gone still, giving Hardison time to adjust. He was kneading Parker’s thighs with his long fingers, taking deep, heaving breaths between her legs. She was petting his sides, sliding her hands down and over his ass, pulling him wider for Eliot, who covered her hands with his as he held Alec still.

Finally, after what felt like an excruciatingly long time, he was fully seated. After a few moments of stillness, Parker leaned forward and took Alec back in her mouth, moving softly, licking and sucking at his tip, causing him to clench around Eliot. Eliot groaned, gripping Alec tighter as he tried to keep himself from moving and hurting him. Another excruciating wait later, Alec spoke.

“Okay, okay Eliot, you can move. Take it slow.” Eliot heeded his words drawing back slowly, until just the head remained before sliding forward again. Slow and deep strokes left him screaming inside, wanting more and forcing himself to reign it in. Alec dropped his head and returned his attention to Parker. As they built back up to a rhythm, Eliot slowly increased his own speed, careful to remain gentle until Alec told him otherwise.

“Harder, Eliot. Please” The hacker begged, strangled. Eliot obliged, escalating slowing until Alec was keening into Parker’s folds, desperately gasing and sucking at her. Parker had returned to her constant stream of moans and gasps around Alec’s dick, bucking her hips desperately, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him as close to her as she could get him. She was bobbing her head wildly and Eliot could see her shaking. He knew she was close, so he leaned over Alec, dropping a hand to Parker’s hair and cranking her head back so he could look into her eyes. Her whole body stiffened as she dropped her head away from Alec and practically screamed as she came. 

“Fuck, fuck Alec,” she sounded close to tears as she rode it out. Eventually she stilled, tapping Alec’s side. He withdrew his head from her folds, and began placing gentle kisses on her legs and hips as she returned her mouth to his dripping cock. Eliot resumed his steady rhythm and Alec rocked back against him, eventually bracing his arms and throwing his head back, twisting around so he could see Eliot.

“Fuck, don’t stop” he said, holding Eliot’s eyes with his own. “God, I’m gonna come.” Eliot couldn’t speak, but he nodded and deepend his thrusts, Parker seemed to be of a similar mind, pulling more of Alec into her mouth and suck harder as she withdrew. “Fuck, fuck,” Alec dropped his head to the bed between Parker’s knees. He tightened around Eliot, slamming himself back wildly and crying out. Eliot was seeing stars and his own orgasm took him by surprise, dragging a shout from him as he drove himself into Alec a few last times before his shaking legs demanded that he pull back. He collapsed across the foot of the bed as Alec rolled off of Parker, throwing his legs across Eliot’s, and his arm across his forehead.

“God damn,” Alec said. “We shoulda done this ages ago.”

Eliot didn’t say anything, but he was in full agreement.

“We have a lot of time to make up for,” Parker said wickedly, smiling at them both in turn.


	11. Epilogue: I'm in love now

When Eliot stepped out of the kitchen, he was met with the sight of Parker hanging from the rafter, slowly lowering herself toward Haridson, who had his headset on and all of his attention on the game on the screen. Parker caught sight of him and put a finger over her mouth, the diamond on her ring finger glinting in the light. Eliot grinned and nodded, setting the stack of dishes in his hands down on the table and watching fondly as the thief crept closer to their husband. Just as Parker reached out to shake Hardison, opening her mouth to shout, he dropped his controller and threw his head back, grabbing her hands with catlike reflexes.

“Not this time, mama!” He shouted victoriously. 

“Damn!” Parker cursed as she released the line and dropped gracefully to the floor. It wasn’t the first time the hacker had won the game they’d been playing for years now, but it didn’t happen often. Hardison grinned as he leaned down to kiss his wife, tugging her ponytail playfully.

Eliot felt a laugh bubble up from deep in his chest, and it felt amazing. Everything about the years they’d spent together felt amazing. Ten years, three months, and 18 days actually. They’d slowly trained a new crew and handed most of the fieldwork over to them, though they still chose the cases and Parker guided their junior mastermind through much of the planning. 

They’d had a small wedding the year before, Nate had officiated and Sophie had gone over the top with the planning. Eliot still smiled everytime he walked past the picture in the hall.

“Eliot, quit staring and get over here” Alec called to him, looking over Parker’s head and holding out an arm, waiting to fold the hitter into the embrace. Without a second of hesitation, Eliot went.

Wrapped in his partners’ arms, he recalled what he’d said to Sophie all those years ago, and repeated in his wedding vows “til my dying day.” These days, he didn’t think that would come as soon as he’d used to hope.

“I love y’all,” He whispered to them.

“And we love you,” Parker answered him, Alec nodded before finishing their promise.

“For better or worse.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we've reached the end of this line. Thanks for all the kind comments and kudos! I'm sure I'll be back again soon!


End file.
